• Network Rail to build 40,000 homes in partnership with government-owned developer
    www.bdonline.co.uk
    Treasury also announces taskforce to unlock unused public landNetwork Rail will form a new property company in partnership with government-owned developer London & Continental Railways (LCR) with plans to build 40,000 homes, the Treasury has confirmed.The as yet unnamed company, which has been in the works since 2023 when the plans were first revealed by Network Rail, is set to launch later this year.Network Rails new property company will launch later this yearThe Treasury has announced four sites which are already in the pipeline, including a 100-acre regeneration site at Newcastle Forth Yards which could see the delivery of 5,000 homes.A further 1,500 homes are planned for Manchester Mayfield, with a 450-home mixed-use scheme in Cambridge and a 200-home scheme in Nottingham also being worked up.>> See also:This is a growth story How Network Rail plans to become one of the UKs biggest housebuildersA new taskforce has also been launched to speed up the delivery of homes on unused public land, including land owned by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) which the Defence secretary said has potential for more than 100,000 homes.The cross-government body will identify available sites to be developed as quickly as possible by removing barriers that have prevented houses coming forward at pace on vacant public land for too long, the Treasury said.Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: For too long, surplus government-owned sites have gone underused, but they are a huge untapped resource that could create opportunities for the next generation of homeowners.In contrast to the failed approach of the past, we are making the best use of public land to build the homes that families and our Armed Forces need, improving opportunities for homeownership and creating jobs across the country.Other schemes announced include Deverell Barracks, an MoD site in Ripon which will be transferred to Homes England with plans to start construction on1,300 homes within the next 12 months.Another 1,300 homes would be built at the MoDs Chetwynd Barracks in Chilwell, while thousands of homes could be built at Wyton airfield in Cambridgeshire in the coming years, according to the Treasury.
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  • Model A Mac In Blender
    www.blendernation.com
    Quentin Steinke writes: In this Blender 4.4 tutorial I walk you through modeling a Mac in Blender. If you have any questions of need some help, let me know in the comments!Source
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  • Creating a Stylized 3D Viking with Ease | Character Creator 4 & Blender Auto Setup [$]
    www.blendernation.com
    Creating a Stylized 3D Viking with Ease | Character Creator 4 & Blender Auto Setup By Bart on March 31, 2025 3D News Character designer Peter Alexander shares his enthusiasm for the recent Blender Auto Setup updates, highlighting how they streamline character design using Character Creator 4 (CC4) assets. He details his workflow, emphasizing the efficiency and viability of this setup for those without access to licensed software like Zbrush.About MythconsGreetings, my name is Peter Alexander. I am a character designer and 3D generalist who works with Character Creator 4 (CC4) and related pipelines. The recent updates of the Blender Auto Setup has made me more excited about CC4 character design than ever. Thanks to the brilliant developers, character design in Blender using CC4 assets is very streamlined and is a viable solution for those who do not have access to Zbrush or other licensed software.Check out Mythcons's artstationSend Avatar from CC to Blender with the data linkIn fact, I have mostly switched over to Blender as my CC4 customization software. The power of Blender Auto Setup will depend on which options you choose when sending data over from Character Creator. I would recommend that you use the Send Avatar function, as it will give you access to the Proportion Editor and the ability to sculpt in high resolution and transfer those details to your lower resolution mesh.The proportion editing in the Blender Auto Setup mitigates the need to mush around the mesh, as you can move and scale the bones to get the desired proportions. My preferred method is to use the Proportion Editor, then sculpt once the bones are in place.The options listed under Child Bones Inherit Scale refers to how the child bones (bones under the hierarchy of the current bone) are scaled in relation to the bone you are manipulating. Full will make the child bones scale with the parent bone, and None will leave the child bones unimpacted by scale.If you have set up your workflow to use the Send Avatar function, selecting Go CC in the Blender Auto Setup add-on will send the data back to CC4 and provide you with the option to create a new project with the updates from Blender.If you have set up your workflow to use the Send Morph function, your data will be sent to CC4 as a new morph for your character.Regardless of which method you use, you can take this opportunity to do some clean-up on the characters. I start by applying Mirror Symmetry, since this is a symmetrical character.I also adjust any facial features, such as teeth, using the CC4 Proportion Editor. Selecting the Face category will give you access to the bones of the Eyes, Teeth, and Tongue.At this point I send an updated version of the character over to Blender for additional editing, including texturing and creating some hair and assets. While I usually texture my characters in a dedicated application like 3D-Coat, you can manipulate the textures within Blender using its native tools.UDIMs are supported (meaning you can paint across UV tiles), although I should note that you need to have the same channel selected for all materials otherwise painting over the UV tiles will bleed into improper channels. If you are painting Diffuse (Color), you need to make sure each material is selected to the Diffuse channel. If you have made a change to the textures and want this loaded when the character is sent back to CC4, choose Save All Images.Creating AssetsI will say that I like to keep my assets as low resolution as possible until I need to increase the detail. This allows for optimal control. I will often use a SubDivision modifier, especially if I am creating a hard surface.I start with this shield piece of armor for his belly. I often use the Loop Tools (enabled in Blender add-ons) to create the loops I need and straighten out edges. Keeping the resolution low allows you to prevent unnecessary deformations when you are moving geometry. With higher resolution, more corrections will need to be made.Creating HairAs with clothing and other assets, be aware of the limitations of hair assets for CC4. While a wide variety of hairstyles can be achieved, longer hair can require more advanced solutions. I intended to create these braids and have them swing along with the character as he moved, but since spring bones do not collide with the mesh, these presented a challenge in many animations.Weight SkinningSkinning is the process of assigning weights to objects relative to their rigging system, ensuring natural deformation during animation. Technical artists face challenges with complex setups like characters with large bellies, rigid shields, and associated components, all requiring precise weight assignment. Creating realistic movement involves applying various animation clips, reviewing timeline movements, and making adjustments when deformation issues arise. Saving an initial OBJ copy of items is recommended practice, allowing reset to default state if skinning causes problems. The entire process demands expertise to achieve convincing results without mesh poke-through or unnatural deformations.Facial Expression EditingI used the standard export method to edit the expressions in Blender. To achieve this, export as an FBX and choose Mesh and Expression Sequence. This will allow you to import the necessary data for editing the expressions in Blender.Once in Blender, you can scrub through the timeline and see that all the expressions are there in sequence. When you go to your Shape Key menu, you will see expressions activate. You can pin the shapekey you are working on and edit them without going through the timeline, but certain expressions use bones, such as the Jaw Open expression, so it is good practice to use the timeline.Once you are finished editing, you need to export the FBX. Then, in Character Creator, initiate the facial profile editor and import the FBX with Expression Sequence. This will populate the expressions with the appropriate data.Additional FeaturesScene Lighting PresetsThe Blender Pipeline allows you to easily cycle through many lighting presets. Aside from the rendering benefits, you can see how your character looks under various lighting, giving you the opportunity to adjust your character as needed.SculptingThe sculpting function has two main options: Body and Detail, specifically set up for the CC4 standard character. The Body option is designed for shaping your character, while the Detail is for adding delicate details, like skin pores, veins, sculpted hair, etc. This function will generate high-quality normal maps to your Baked folder, which you can then add to your character in CC4 (I would suggest adding them using SkinGen).Data-Link OptionsThe Data-Link options allow you to send a variety of data back and forth between CC4 and Blender. This is especially useful for checking poses and basic animations.You can take it a step further and Rigify the CC4 avatar, giving animators access to an advanced animation rig. Blender animators especially will be comfortable with this rigging and animation system.The Blender Auto Setup Pipeline has many other functions, but one of the most important is the Skin Parameters menu. All the skin materials are linked, and you can make significant changes to the look of your character very quickly, in a non-destructive manner. The number of quality functions in this add-on cannot be overstated, and it is a free bonus for those who are dedicated to the Reallusion 3D ecosystem.To ConcludeReflecting on the process (here you can see the full breakdown) of creating my stylized Viking for CC4 using the Blender Auto Setup, Im really impressed with how smooth and intuitive it felt. Switching to Blender as my go-to for CC4 customization has honestly been such a rewarding move. The Blender Auto Setup add-on, paired with CC4s tools, just clicks for me. Its like they were made to work together.There were moments that required some extra thought, like figuring out the skinning for the shield and straps or getting the braids to move naturally without clipping through the mesh. But even those challenges felt manageable because the workflow is so well thought out. I especially loved being able to tweak proportions in the Proportion Editor and then jump straight into sculpting details, which just feels natural.As for lighting presets and sculpting options; theyre total time-savers. For someone like me whos always looking for ways to streamline without sacrificing quality, this setup has been a revelation.
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  • DOGE Plans to Rewrite Entire Social Security Codebase in Just 'a Few Months': Report
    gizmodo.com
    By Matt Novak Published March 28, 2025 | Comments (165) | Elon Musk speaks in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on February 11, 2025. Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images Elon Musks Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is planning to migrate the Social Security Administrations computer systems from the COBOL programming language to something more modern, according to a new report from Wired. And while its not yet clear what Musks band of dipshits plans to do exactly, Wired reports they aim to do it within a few months, a laughably audacious timeline for such a task. Everything from the code that issues Social Security numbers to the payment schedules are written in COBOL, which was created in the 1950s, but the DOGE team seems to believe it can make a snap transition with the help of artificial intelligence, according to Wired. The DOGE team has already been reportedly running highly sensitive government data through AI, as the Washington Post reported last month, so why not use it to cheat-code your way to a more modern programming language? The reason, of course is the risk of cascading failures during any rush-job that might mean missed payments or beneficiary information getting wiped from the system entirely. As Wired notes, the Social Security Administration had actually planned on migrating away from COBOL under a more realistic five-year timespan in the late 2010s, but that effort was derailed by the covid-19 pandemic, which disrupted countless plans in 2020. More than 65 million Americans receive Social Security benefits, and any hiccups would be devastating for people who rely on the program to stay alive. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick recently told the All-In podcast that if Social Security checks didnt go out one month, his mother-in-law wouldnt call and complain. Lutnick claimed, a fraudster makes the loudest noise, suggesting that only people who are fraudulently receiving Social Security would be concerned about payments stopping. BREAKING: Trumps billionaire Commerce Secretary says that seniors wont care if they dont get their Social Security checks and that anyone who does complain is a fraudster. [image or embed] Social Security Works (@socialsecurityworks.org) March 21, 2025 at 11:19 AM Lutnicks logic doesnt hold water, obviously. Millions of people whove paid into Social Security their entire lives have a perfectly reasonable expectation that theyll receive the money they were promised. And Lutnicks mother-in-law hypothetically would get help from her billionaire son-in-law if she didnt get her check any given month. Most Americans who rely on Social Security dont have a hyper-rich relative to bail them out.The Social Security overhaul by DOGE is being led by Steve Davis, according to Wired, who is often described in news reports as the real day-to-day leader of the pseudo-agency. Davis joined SpaceX in 2003 and went on to become the head of Musks Boring Company in 2018 before being brought to Twitter in 2022 and then running Musks political action committee America PAC during the 2024 presidential election. Davis is seen as extremely loyal to Musk, with another top lieutenant of the Musk empire, Jared Birchall, quoted as saying If Elon asked Steve to jump out of a window, he would do it, according to the 2024 book Character Limit. Wireds report doesnt name any of its sources within the Social Security Administration, but the news outlet has been reliably reporting on some of the DOGE teams most galling cuts since Musk started taking a chainsaw to the federal government. Musk, whos previously called Social Security a ponzi scheme, was given enormous power by President Donald Trump to unilaterally cut anything he wants, a nakedly illegal powergrab that continues to this day, despite several court challenges. Congress has yet to properly challenge Musks meddling with their power of the purse, but there are rumblings that some Republicans may finally be growing a spine. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, for example, signed on to a letter Thursday objecting to the Trump regime withholding $2.9 billion of funding allocated by Congress.Musk and several people from DOGE were interviewed on Fox News by Bret Baier on Thursday night in a rather transparent attempt to calm fears over their ongoing destruction of the government. One of the DOGE staff, Joe Gebbia, talked about digitizing the records for retirement in the government, something that makes sense if done responsibly. But the DOGE team seems to think the reason government systems are so antiquated are that nobody ever thought of updating them before. The real reasons are two-fold. First, it takes large sums of money to migrate systems properly without disruption, which brings us to the second reason: Any disruption means millions of people could see critical services upended. The Fox News interview was at times incoherent, as Musk promised that people getting Social Security would get more money after he was done rooting around in the systems. In fact, what were doing will help their benefits, Musk said. Legitimate people, as a result of the work of DOGE, will receive more Social Security, not less. I want to emphasize that. As a result of the work of DOGE, legitimate recipients of Social Security will receive more money, not less money.Musk even said he wanted people to check back on his claim in the future. The claim that people would be getting more money from Social Security in the future simply makes no sense, and its hard to figure out why hed bother saying such a thing. Only Congress can tinker with how much money would be paid out to beneficiaries. But Musks many lies have rarely had any real consequences.IT expert Waldo Jaquith, who used to work for the U.S. governments 18F department (which was recently abolished), wrote on Bluesky that Musks plans for Social Security computer systems were a really bad idea. This is profoundly stupid and will definitely fail, and its just a question of whether our social security system fails along with it, Jaquith wrote. Jaquith went on to explain that there didnt appear to be any real reason for this rushed push away from COBOL, especially if people are getting their Social Security payments reliably and on-time right now, as they have for decades. I cannot think of a single legitimate reason for DOGE to perform such a modernization, especially on such a time scale. A lot of my work is around helping agencies triage how to deal with old systems. If the old system works, *leave it alone*! Start with stuff thats broken! Jaquith continued.Jaquith speculated that the real goal in migrating to a new system was to create a technical chokepoint for the flow of money to allow individuals or groups to be punished extralegally, saying that its all likely just a fig leaf covering the real goal of fascism. Protesters are expected at more than 200 Tesla locations around the world on Saturday as a peaceful show of force against Musks illegal power grab. But not all of the protests against Musk have been peaceful. Federal authorities charged a 36-year-old man in Nevada just yesterday for allegedly setting fire to multiple Tesla vehicles at a Collision Center in Las Vegas. That man has been charged with both state and federal crimes, with no less than Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel weighing in to say that Tesla dealerships will be defended against terrorism by the federal government. As promised, acts of violence and vandalism will not be tolerated, and today law enforcement personnel acted quickly to arrest an individual on charges including arson, Patel said in a statement Thursday. Under Attorney General Bondis leadership, we will continue to pursue these investigations with the full force of law and will bring to justice anyone responsible for these attacks. Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like AJ Dellinger and Matt Novak Published March 29, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 28, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 28, 2025 By Kyle Barr Published March 28, 2025 By Matt Novak Published March 27, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published March 27, 2025
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  • The Art of Thomas Elliott
    www.iamag.co
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  • The Art Of Anastasia Fedorova
    www.iamag.co
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  • Googles Play Store WarningDo Not Update This Setting
    www.forbes.com
    If you see this update, you are under attack.gettyBeware there is a new threat to worry any Android user with popular banking and shopping apps on their phone. A nasty trojan has been discovered attacking more than 750 legitimate banking and shopping apps, presenting a fake login screen over the real app, stealing your credentials as soon as theyre entered.This new discovery by Cyble comes just days after Google warned Android users that sideloaded apps from third-party stores and direct installs deliver 50times as much malware as apps from Play Store. Ironically, although this new threat is sideloaded, its dropper is disguised as Google Play Services, giving it seeming legitimacy. The attack requires a Play settings update that Google has repeatedly warned can be dangerous.Cyble has dubbed this TsarBot given the likely Russian origins of its developers, and says it can remotely control the screen, executing fraud by simulating user actions such as swiping, tapping, and entering credentials while hiding malicious activities using a black overlay screen. It captures device lock credentials using a fake lock screen to gain full control, [and it can] send stolen data, and dynamically execute on-device fraud.Do not click OK to update this Google Play Services appCybleTsarBot isnt limited to overlay attacks given its remote control capabilities. One of which relates to two-factor authentication (2FA), a necessity for the apps it attacks, through lock-grabbing techniques, keylogging, and intercepting SMS messages.An attack starts with an install from a dangerous phishing website. Cyble observed a fake version of a token trading platform, but it could be any website and attackers will move on to keep ahead of discovery. The phishing site delivers a dropper application that stores the TsarBot APK file, implant.apk, in the res/raw folder. The dropper utilizes a session-based package installer to deploy the TsarBot malware on the device.Example overlay attack screens for popular appsCybleAfter install, the Play Services trick comes into play so to speak. TsarBot conceals itself as the Google Play Service app and does not display a launcher icon. Upon installation, it presents a fake Google Play Service update page, prompting the user to enable Accessibility services. Do not click OK to agree this app update.By abusing Accessibility services and WebSocket communication, Cyble warns, TsarBot underscores the persistent threat posed by banking malware. Users should exercise caution when installing apps, avoid untrusted sources, and remain vigilant against phishing sites distributing such threats.Staying safe is very straightforward. Do not install apps from outside Play Store or other official Android stores. Ensure Play Protect is enabled at all times, and do not be lured into disabling or pausing this for an install unless youre 100% sure its safe and know the source beyond doubt. And dont enable Accessibility Services unless an app categorically requires device controls to function. It opens up significant risks.
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  • AI Agents Are Coming For Your Job TasksHere's How To Stay Ahead
    www.forbes.com
    AI agentsunlike chatbotscan execute complex tasks independently by connecting with other systems ... More and even writing their own code.Adobe StockChatGPT and other large-language chatbots are great and have revolutionized many aspects of work. However, they have one big drawback: they talk the talk but can't walk the walk.The next wave of AI disruption will be different. AI agents are herebuilt on the same large-language model (LLM) technology as generative AI but capable of carrying out complex, multi-step tasks with little human input.They do this by interfacing with other systems examples weve seen include using online shopping and e-commerce sites to make orders and using web design tools to create entire websites.And if they can't find a tool to complete the task themselves, they can create their own by designing, writing and deploying their own computer code.As you can imagine, this has huge implications for the way we work. Those who fear humans will be replaced by machines say it will put even more jobs at risk. Those who think it will give us more free time and help solve important problems say its a big leap forward.So, lets take a look at how AI agents are set to affect our day-to-day jobs and maybe our long-term career prospects, too.Automating Manual, Routine TasksProcessing returns, reviewing invoices and posting updates to field workers are just some of the tasks that Microsoft envisions us delegating to AI agents.While traditional AI tools can tell us what to do, agents will actually do it for us identifying the tools and data it needs and connecting with third-party services to get it done.Microsoft is far from alone. Tech giants including OpenAI, Amazon and Google are all bringing platforms to market aimed at integrating agents into working life.Backing up this plan with billions in investment and huge sales campaigns, they hope well be keen to palm the tedious and mundane elements of our jobs off onto intelligent assistants. This could include things like data entry, reviewing orders and invoices, answering routine support inquiries, or running security procedures.Better Data-Driven Decision-MakingUnderstanding how to work with data to make decisions based on reality has become increasingly important for many professionals. AI agents will give them more power to do this than ever before.When we talk about automated decision-making at work, we mean systems that can raise alerts, spot unexpected happenings, or optimize systems automatically.This means that as well as the routine work we talked about earlier, involving following sets of rules, AI can take on thinking work, like choosing the best course of action.Heres an example. A generative AI can analyze your business and current marketing trends, then create a marketing campaign for you, with all the assets you'll need to market your business, and make decisions about budgeting for SEO, SEM or whatever it thinks youll need.An AI agent will be able to go further in executing the campaign by interfacing with advertising services, social media, and email marketing tools.(In theory, it won't stop there either it will analyze results, follow up with prospects and adjust its strategy to work better next time.)There is an enormous challenge for organizations here when it comes to instilling trust that augmented decision-making leads to better decisions. This means decisions that are ethically better in terms of their impact on people and society, as well as better for the business.Working Alongside AI Co-WorkersWhether we are picking and packing in a distribution center, working in the field or behind an office desk, well become increasingly aware of AIs as entities -working alongside us, watching what we do and influencing our work.Think this sounds creepy? Youre not alone. In 2024, the CEO of an AI HR software firm canceled plans to give AI agents employee records, performance targets and training goals, just like human staff, after receiving widespread backlash.While we might not be ready quite yet to think of AIs as fellow beings, make no mistake - virtual employees are coming. Businesses will be hoping that the creepy feeling wears off when workers find out how useful and empowering they can be.The scope here is huge. Automated agricultural machinery that sows, harvests and manages crops. Technical support assistants learn more about customer problems with every call and develop fixes and solutions autonomously. Or simply managing all of your schedules, inboxes and priorities in a truly intelligent way.High-Value WorkSo this is what makes it all worthwhile. With AI agents taking care of everything else, were free to concentrate on what really gets us out of bed in the morning. The opportunity to do real, meaningful work that makes a positive change.For teachers, this might mean less time marking papers and setting assignments, and more face-to-face time with pupils. Customer service agents no longer need to spend time answering routine inquiries and can spend time building deeper connections and understanding client requirements. Managers and executives can prioritize long-term strategic planning, team-building, or pursuing new growth opportunities rather than doing routine administrative work.In other words, AI agents allow us to spend more time on tasks that create real value, which could lead to richer and more rewarding working lives for everyone.Human Skills More Valuable Than Ever?With agents increasingly taking on technical tasks, humans with skills that still cant be replicated by machines become significantly more valuable. It will still be some time before AI replaces the ability of good human leaders to inspire and motivate teams, resolve conflicts, and deliver real long-term strategy. Those with highly-tuned emotional intelligence, human insight and authentic creative abilities will be more sought-after than ever, as their aptitudes and skillsets increasingly become a key differentiator. A quick piece of very easy career advice nurture those talents.Understanding AI Ethics Will Be CriticalFor employees during the early days of the agentic AI revolution, this will mean going beyond expecting organizational policies to absolve us of accountability. One 2024 report found that just 21% of workplaces have AI usage policies in place. While this will inevitably increase, the potential for harm to be caused inadvertently by AI and agentic AI in particular - is enormous.Writers and artists, for example, claim their work is already being stolen and used to train AI, without them being compensated. And Fashion retailer Mango received damaging negative publicity due to claims an ad campaign featuring AI-generated models had been devised without concern for the potential implications for jobs. This is only scratching the surface of the potential ethical challenges anyone wanting to integrate agentic AI into their workflows will have to face if they want to protect themselves from potentially very expensive and harmful mistakes.How Do I Get Ready For All This?Because of the potential benefits weve covered here, ignoring the arrival of AI agents simply wont be an option for professionals who want to be at the top of their game.Understanding how it will impact your own working life, career path, and the future of your occupation, profession, or industry is the first step to getting prepared.After that, you can start looking for opportunities to use the tools and platforms being made available by US and Chinese AI developers to put it to work.Its inevitable that AI will lead to job losses, and logic suggests that the more capable AI becomes, the more jobs will be at risk. Those who want to ensure they benefit from the agentic AI revolution rather than be made redundant by it should be taking action on this today.
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  • AMDs Ryzen 7 9800X3D chips are tapping out too soon
    www.digitaltrends.com
    Reports of AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D failures have been surfacing online, with over 100 documented cases of dead processors, primarily on ASRock motherboards. The issue has been meticulously compiled by a Reddit user, highlighting concerns about compatibility and potential manufacturing defects affecting AMDs latest 3D V-Cache processor.According to the compiled data, the majority of failures occurred within minutes or hours of use, with users reporting sudden shutdowns, instability, and CPUs that no longer function. The issue appears to be more prevalent on ASRock motherboards, though cases have also been reported on boards from other manufacturers. Some users suspect that aggressive voltage settings in BIOS, potentially linked to memory overclocking or EXPO profiles, might be contributing to the problem.Recommended VideosThe Ryzen 7 9800X3D, much like its predecessor, features AMDs 3D V-Cache technology, which enhances gaming performance by stacking additional cache on the CPU die. However, this design also introduces additional thermal and voltage constraints. Unlike standard Ryzen CPUs, the 3D V-Cache models have lower voltage tolerances, making them more sensitive to improper power settings. Users have speculated that BIOS configurations or motherboard firmware could be allowing unsafe voltage levels, leading to premature CPU failures. ASRock has yet to officially respond to these reports, but users have noted that the company has recently released BIOS updates addressing stability issues. Some suspect that these updates may include adjustments to voltage regulation to mitigate further failures. Other motherboard manufacturers, including ASUS, MSI, and Gigabyte, have also released updates to optimize compatibility with the new Ryzen chips.This situation is reminiscent of past issues seen with Intels 13th and 14th-generation Core i7 and i9 processors, which suffered from instability and overheating when paired with high-end motherboards that pushed aggressive power limits. Intel had to work with motherboard manufacturers to release BIOS updates that refined power delivery and voltage settings to prevent long-term damage.With AMD now facing similar concerns, affected users are calling for greater transparency and a possible recall if the failures continue to rise. Until an official statement is made, users are advised to ensure their BIOS is up to date and to avoid excessive voltage settings when configuring their Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPUsEditors Recommendations
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  • Cringe as worlds thinnest foldable phone gets it in durability test
    www.digitaltrends.com
    Zack Nelson, the man behind the popular tech-focused YouTube channel JerryRigEverything, has just subjected the worlds thinnest foldable smartphone to his less-than-friendly durability test.Oppos Find N5 caused quite a stir when it was unveiled in February, with Digital Trends hands-on review claiming that the handset nails every part of this form factor.So, did the Find N5, which is just 8.93mm thick when folded, suffer much in the hands of Nelson? The short answer to that is yes, but then no phone really comes out unscathed during the YouTubers durability tests, which include a good deal of scratching, plenty of scraping, a spot of burning, and, last but not least, some spirited bending.Please enable Javascript to view this contentYou can watch the video (top) to see how the Find N5 dealt with the hardness picks, and how much it enjoyed being scraped up and down by a box cutter. Youll also learn how well it handles a naked flame, and having grit poured over it.But its the bend test that will really catch your attention. Nelson was surprised as well as disappointed to find that the Find N5 suffered internal display damage on the very first bend, administered while the phone was closed.The YouTuber noted that while many of the other foldables currently on the market passed this initial bend test, the Find N5s main display lost pixels in a thin line both horizontally and vertically.The next bend test is always the hardest to watch when it comes to such handsets, as it involves bending the phone in the opposite direction to which it should be. But impressively, as Nelson applies some serious force with his bare hands, Oppos incredibly thin foldable remains in one piece thanks to its strong titanium hinge.But after a few more bends, the interior display is totally cooked. The exterior screen, however, continues to function, giving Find N5 owners some hope that their phone might still work should they accidentally mangle it in some unspeakable way.Tech nerds can enjoy the rest of the video as Nelson completely dismantles the Find N5, revealing its innards while pointing out some interesting design decisions that helped Oppo to achieve the super-slim design.Editors Recommendations
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